At the finishing line, dogs joined a talent contest and an obstacle competition.

The dogs navigated the obstacles with varying degrees of ease, but they all won praise from their owners and applause from the audience.

In the talent contest, the dogs performed tricks, such as jumping through hoops and raising their paws to 'shake hands' with their owners.

The annual walkathon is staged to raise awareness of animal rights and protection.

'Many abandoned animals rescued by our centre have a strong will to live,' said Elle Chan, chief executive officer of SAA.

'Their remarkable stories of survival are a wake-up call for disillusioned teenagers to face up to adversity in life.'